The present invention relates to a modular exhaust gas assembly.
The following discussion of related art is provided to assist the reader in understanding the advantages of the invention, and is not to be construed as an admission that this related art is prior art to this invention.
Internal combustion engines are increasingly charged using turbochargers in order effectively reduce fuel consumption. On the basis of a few base engines, the engine control can be suited to variations of different vehicles. The turbocharger, in particular the cast turbine housing, can be suited very accurately to the power characteristic of the respective engine in order to realize an effective operation. However, costs to implement and adjust turbochargers in sheet metal construction are very high as far as forming tools and devices are concerned so that the use of adjustable turbochargers in sheet metal construction becomes economical only when car models are involved that are produced on a large scale.
These drawbacks are also encountered, when cast manifolds and turbocharger housings are involved because each power stage or engine power variation of a combustion engine requires a newly reconfigured manifold and turbocharger housing and also a renewed execution of all validation activities. This results in added costs for development, tools and devices because the individual components of the turbocharger have to be adjusted to one another and checked with respect to their interactions. In addition, the adjacent engine periphery must be suited to the different components of the turbocharger, further increasing costs.
German Pat. No. DE 100 29 807 C1 discloses an approach to address costs concerns by keeping the number of turbines to a minimum in order to suit varying engine types. To realize different engine throughputs in dependence on the engine size, the standard turbines have to be modified to suit the respective type by grinding down the outer wheel contour of the turbine wheel to smaller radii. However, in order to keep the gap constant between the outer wheel contour and the contour sleeve which embraces the turbine wheel, the contour sleeve must be refinished as well. These measures are relatively complex.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved exhaust gas turbocharger which obviates prior art shortcomings and which can be best suited to various designs and power outputs of an internal combustion engine in a cost-efficient manner while still being reliable in operation.